Disposable Vapes Outdo Cigarettes in Toxicity, Cancer Risk: UC Davis Study

A groundbreaking study from the University of California, Davis, has dropped a bombshell: those trendy disposable vapes might be more toxic than the cigarettes they’re supposed to replace. Published in ACS Central Science, the research reveals that illegal, non-FDA-approved e-cigarettes—think brands like ELF Bar, Flum Pebble, and Esco—are loaded with dangerous heavy metals, posing a serious cancer risk.

Scientists tested puffs from these popular devices and found alarming levels of lead, nickel, and antimony—carcinogens linked to lung, skin, and kidney cancers, per the National Institutes of Health. Nickel, in particular, exceeded cancer risk limits, with ties to asthma, lung fibrosis, and even cardiovascular disease. One brand’s lead exposure was equivalent to smoking 19 packs of cigarettes. That’s not a puff you want to take.

Lead researcher Brett Poulin was stunned, noting that the lead levels were so high he initially thought the testing equipment was faulty. Digging deeper, Poulin cracked open a vape and found it used leaded copper alloys, leaching toxic lead into the e-liquid even when the device wasn’t in use. Whether this was a deliberate design flaw or a cost-cutting shortcut remains unclear, but there’s no safe level of lead exposure, especially for kids and teens.

Dr. Daniel Sterman, a lung cancer expert at NYU Langone, emphasized the broader risks of vaping, including asthma, COPD, and lung cancer. While proving a direct link to cancer is tricky, he’s seen plenty of cancer patients who vape. His solution? Tight regulations, age restrictions to 21+, and clear warning labels on packaging to spell out the dangers, especially for young users.

The study’s scope was limited, testing only three brands out of hundreds on the market, leaving a massive knowledge gap about other devices. With vaping rates climbing—6.5% of adults in 2023, per the CDC, and a whopping 15.5% of 21- to 24-year-olds—these findings raise urgent public health concerns. ELF Bar’s parent company pushed back, claiming the tested devices were likely counterfeits, not their products, but the other brands stayed silent.

This isn’t just about chasing clouds—it’s about chasing risks. As vaping grows, so does the need for scrutiny and regulation to protect users from a toxic gamble.